Inside The Birds: Nelson Finally Signed, Sealed

With the Eagles ready to begin training camp this week, they’ve finally addressed one of their most pressing needs.

On the latest Inside The Birds, Geoff Mosher and Adam Caplan break down the Steven Nelson signing and look at the roster outlook prior to the start of camp.

Steven Nelson will have no competition becoming the Eagles’ starting outside corner opposite Darius Slay.

Steven Nelson

Adam Caplan: “We said from Day 1 a couple things: No. 1, we said the Eagles are willing to pay about $3 million in cash. And as [Geoff Mosher] reported on our show a week or so ago, I think you said it could be up to 4 million and I said, ‘Yeah, with upside, that would be the $4 million.’”

Geoff Mosher: “I saw it reported that it was a 1-year, $4-million contract but as I understand it, it’s a chance to make $4 million. I think it’s about in the $3 million range with incentives that can push it to 4.”

Caplan: “The league kind of sees him as an average No. 2 cornerback, physical, tough corner. He’s only 28 years old but he’s not a high-end player, he’s just not. But the fact of matter is the guy’s a starting corner, started a lot in the league. And he’s got the ability to play inside or outside which is important … You’ve got to be able to move guys around and they’ll be able to do that a little bit better now.”

Veteran receiver help?

Mosher: “I know that they’ve internally discussed the idea of bringing [Josh Doctson] in and I know they have some interest based on what I’m saying here, I just don’t know if other teams are pursuing him, if he’s like Steven Nelson where he’s got to make a decision. I don’t know the peripheral about that, I just know that the Eagles have talked about him and we’ll see if they make a move there, but if that’s the case, it’s not like they’re making that move for that veteran sage right. I mean, he hasn’t played a whole lot in the NFL and he has not been successful as a first-round pick. But if you’re bringing him in, you’re bringing him to say, if he’s healthy, he’s still got the good size for the position, he is a former first-round pick, maybe we can coax something out of him. Doctson was once seen as a wide receiver who had some talent and should be a playmaker in the NFL and he does have some experience.”

Defensive Tackle

Mosher: “[The Eagles] are still kind of the same at defensive tackle, where you wonder if they have an injury to [Javon] Hargrave or [Fletcher] Cox and a D-tackle now has to step in and play two or three games, who that guy would be?”

Caplan: “[Hassan] Ridegway they like, but he’s barely played. I mean, if somebody gets hurt at D-tackle, where are you going? They don’t have that veteran to go to, they don’t have anyone who’s done it before so it’s a problem, it’s an issue. Milton Williams has never played in the NFL, he’s a rookie. [Marlon] Tuipulotu, who they like, but he hasn’t played the NFL. [T.Y.] McGill has barely played, I know he knows the defense because he knows [Jonathan] Gannon.”

Nick Sirianni

Caplan: “I’m optimistic that he understands the challenges, he understands it’s a flawed roster with some upside. The thing is, though, he’s got to work his coaches hard and they’ve got to develop players and we’ve said this before. From what we’re hearing this staff is very big on player development and that was not the case with the former staff, particularly late from what we’ve heard. That has to be the case here, they’ve gotta develop these young players, they’re a decent amount of young players on this roster.”

– Justin Morganstein (@jmotweets_) is a staff contributor to InsideTheBirds.com.

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